Architecture Roles

NUP defines specialized architecture roles that extend beyond the core Architect role to support enterprise-level planning and implementation. These roles align with TOGAF architecture domains and the Netspective Enterprise Architecture Planning (NEAP) framework.

Architecture Role Hierarchy

Enterprise Architect

The Enterprise Architect plays a major role in enterprise architecture planning, establishing the overall direction and ensuring alignment between business strategy and IT implementation.

Responsibilities

Lead enterprise architecture planning initiatives
Establish architecture principles and standards
Ensure alignment between business goals and technology solutions
Coordinate architecture governance across the organization
Define architecture roadmaps and transition plans

Key Activities by Phase

Phase	Primary Activities
Strategy	Identify strategic architecture requirements
Envision	Develop Architecture Vision, establish governance
Inception	Define scope and architecture principles
Elaboration	Refine architecture, validate approach
Construction	Guide implementation, ensure compliance
Transition	Verify architecture implementation
Production	Monitor architecture health, plan evolution

NEAP (Netspective Enterprise Architecture Planning)
TOGAF Architecture Development Method (ADM)

Artifacts Produced

Architecture Vision
Architecture Principles
Architecture Roadmap
Governance Framework
Standards Catalog

Business Architect

The Business Architect develops the business architecture that aligns organizational strategy with operational capabilities.

Responsibilities

Define business capabilities and value streams
Model business processes and organizational structures
Identify business transformation requirements
Ensure business architecture supports strategic goals
Bridge communication between business and IT stakeholders

Key Activities

Activity	Description
Capability Modeling	Define and document business capabilities
Process Design	Model and optimize business processes
Organization Mapping	Document organizational structures and relationships
Value Stream Analysis	Identify and optimize value delivery
Stakeholder Alignment	Ensure business needs are understood and addressed

Artifacts Produced

Business Capability Model
Business Process Models
Organization Chart
Value Stream Maps
Business Architecture Definition Document

Data Architect

The Data Architect designs the data architecture that supports enterprise information needs.

Responsibilities

Define data models and data management strategies
Establish data governance policies
Design data integration approaches
Ensure data quality and consistency
Plan data migration and transformation

Key Activities

Activity	Description
Data Modeling	Create conceptual, logical, and physical data models
Data Governance	Establish policies for data management
Integration Design	Define data flow and integration patterns
Quality Assurance	Define data quality metrics and controls
Security Planning	Ensure data protection and privacy compliance

Data Architecture Domains

Artifacts Produced

Data Architecture Definition
Data Models (Conceptual, Logical, Physical)
Data Flow Diagrams
Data Dictionary
Data Governance Framework

Application Architect

The Application Architect defines the application structure, components, and their interactions.

Responsibilities

Design application architecture and component structure
Define integration patterns between applications
Establish application development standards
Ensure applications align with enterprise architecture
Guide technology selection for application platforms

Key Activities

Activity	Description
Component Design	Define application components and boundaries
Integration Planning	Design inter-application communication
Standards Definition	Establish coding and design standards
Technology Selection	Evaluate and recommend application technologies
Pattern Application	Apply appropriate design patterns

Application Architecture Patterns

Pattern	Use Case
Microservices	Scalable, independently deployable services
Monolithic	Simple applications with unified deployment
Event-Driven	Asynchronous, loosely coupled systems
Layered	Separation of concerns in traditional applications
Hexagonal	Ports and adapters for testable architecture

Artifacts Produced

Application Architecture Definition
Component Diagrams
Integration Specifications
API Contracts
Application Standards Guide

Technology Architect

The Technology Architect specifies the technology infrastructure and platforms that support the enterprise.

Responsibilities

Define infrastructure architecture and platforms
Select technology standards and products
Design deployment and operational environments
Ensure infrastructure meets performance and security requirements
Plan capacity and scalability

Key Activities

Activity	Description
Infrastructure Design	Define compute, storage, and network architecture
Platform Selection	Evaluate and recommend technology platforms
Cloud Strategy	Define cloud adoption and migration approach
Security Architecture	Design infrastructure security controls
Operations Planning	Define monitoring, backup, and disaster recovery

Technology Domains

Technology Architecture Domains

Artifacts Produced

Technology Architecture Definition
Infrastructure Diagrams
Platform Standards
Deployment Architecture
Capacity Plan

Enterprise Integration Architect

The Enterprise Integration Architect designs system integration approaches that enable data and process flow across the enterprise.

Responsibilities

Define integration architecture and patterns
Design APIs and messaging systems
Establish integration standards and governance
Ensure interoperability between systems
Plan integration platform evolution

Integration Patterns

Pattern	Description
Point-to-Point	Direct connections between systems
Hub-and-Spoke	Centralized integration hub
ESB	Enterprise Service Bus for message routing
API Gateway	Centralized API management
Event Bus	Event-driven integration
iPaaS	Cloud-based integration platform

Key Activities

Define integration strategy and roadmap
Design API standards and governance
Select integration platforms and tools
Establish security for system interfaces
Monitor integration health and performance

Artifacts Produced

Integration Architecture Definition
API Standards and Guidelines
Integration Pattern Catalog
Interface Specifications
Integration Roadmap

Enterprise Integration Engineer

The Enterprise Integration Engineer implements the integration solutions designed by the Integration Architect.

Responsibilities

Implement integration interfaces and adapters
Build and maintain API endpoints
Configure integration platforms
Test and validate integrations
Monitor and troubleshoot integration issues

Key Skills

API development (REST, GraphQL, SOAP)
Message queue technologies (Kafka, RabbitMQ)
Integration platforms (MuleSoft, Dell Boomi, etc.)
Data transformation (JSON, XML, EDI)
Scripting and automation

Artifacts Produced

API Implementations
Integration Adapters
Data Transformation Maps
Test Scripts
Integration Documentation

Architecture Role Interactions

Collaboration Matrix

Role	Collaborates With	On Topics
Enterprise Architect	All architects	Strategic alignment, governance
Business Architect	Enterprise, Application	Business requirements, capabilities
Data Architect	Application, Technology	Data models, integration
Application Architect	Data, Technology, Integration	Component design, APIs
Technology Architect	Application, Integration	Infrastructure, platforms
Integration Architect	Application, Technology	APIs, messaging
Integration Engineer	Integration Architect, Developers	Implementation

Communication Flow

Architecture Communication Flow

Best Practices

Architecture Governance

Establish clear decision-making authority
Document architecture decisions with rationale
Conduct regular architecture reviews
Maintain architecture compliance checklists

Stakeholder Engagement

Communicate architecture value in business terms
Involve stakeholders early in architecture decisions
Provide clear visualizations of architecture
Demonstrate ROI of architecture investments

Continuous Improvement

Regularly assess architecture effectiveness
Update architecture based on lessons learned
Track technical debt and plan remediation
Stay current with technology trends

Compliance

This section fulfills ISO 13485 requirements for responsibility and authority (5.5.1) and design planning (7.3.2), and ISO 27001 requirements for security roles (A.5.2), secure architecture (A.8.27), and information security in project management (A.5.8).

View full compliance matrix

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